Halle Berry - Actress / Model

At the young age of four, her father walked out on her mother. Judith, Halle's mother, was left to raise Halle and her sister, Heidi, all alone. They lived in the inner city in Ohio. Halle's mother, however, worked hard and managed to move the family into the suburbs of Cleveland. All things were not rosy in the suburbs however. As Halle's mother is Caucasian (white) and her absentee father is African American (black), the neighbors did not care very much for Halle's dark skin.

Halle, not one to focus on the negative, determined that others would not stop her from reaching her goals. She made friends in her neighborhood and school dispite the difficulties. She became a cheerleader, school editor, honor society member, class president and prom queen. Her inner beauty allowed her outer beauty to be recognized.

Her highschool boyfriend entered her into the Miss Ohio Teen beauty pageant and Halle ended the night wearing the winners crown. From there, it was like a whirlwind. She won, Miss Teen All American, Miss USA, and Miss World. Not one to be easily sidetracked, she continued her education at Cleveland's Cuyahoga Community College studying broadcast journalism. The glamorous life started calling her and she realized that her inner talents could be used more effectively as a model. She was right on target! She moved to Chicago and studied acting and modeling. After Chicago, she moved to Manhattan and landed her first T.V. acting position in Living Dolls. The show was a flop and soon cancelled. Halle was determined not to become discouraged.

In 1989, Spike Lee came calling with a truly un-glamorous position (a crack addict) in the movie Jungle Fever. Halle's intellect, again ever so present, told her - "take the job!". She accepted the position whole heartedly. She even refused to take a bath for a reported 10 days before the start of filming to ensure that she executed the role to the best of her abilities. To understand the role better, Halle interviewed real crack addicts. That's dedication.

In 1991, Knots Landing offered her a recurring position, which she accepted. Knots Landing was a nice job, but when Damon Wayans flashed the script for The Last Boy Scout in front of her, she jumped at the chance to play Damon Wayans' exotic girlfriend. Not to be left without a beautiful leading lady, Eddie Murphy called on Halle to use her skills in Boomerang.

The year was 1993 and Halle had everything going for her, until she married David Justice. The marriage was short lived and ended in 1996. A few years later, in 1999, she met Eric Bennett and they have become friends.

Halle was back "on the street" in 1994 as an illiterate drug addict who abandons her child in a garbage can in the movie, Losing Isaiah. That movie was another "shot in the arm" (no pun intended) for her career. When The Flintstones script was presented to her, she jumped at the chance to do a comedy.

Halle has stared in other movies, including Executive Decision (1996); Race The Sun (1996); BAPS (1997); The Wedding (1998 TV Mini Series); and Bulworth (1998).

Her crowning achievement to date is her starring role in Introducing Dorothy Dandrige. For her outstanding acting, she received a Golden Globe Award.

P. Diddy at the MTV Video Music Awards

National Bar

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Black Hotel Owners